Sri Lankan Tamil
Sri Lankan Tamils ( or ), also known as Ceylon Tamils or Eelam Tamils, are Tamils native to the South Asian island state of Sri Lanka. Today, they constitute a majority in the Northern Province, form the plurality in the Eastern Province a ...
, who was born in
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
De La Salle Christian Brother
The De La Salle Brothers, officially named the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (; ; ) abbreviated FSC, is a Catholic lay religious congregation of pontifical right for men founded in France by Jean-Baptiste de La Salle (1 ...
, was 27 when he left Sri Lanka for Pakistan, to teach mathematics and science at La Salle High School Multan. He taught there until 1968. His students included Yousuf Raza Gillani who become prime minister of Pakistan in March 2008.
As a De La Salle Brother, he considers his mission in life is to educate the poor in the slums and rural outbacks. When St. Vincent's school, in Mian Channu on the Multan-Lahore road, wanted a principal in 1968, Nicholas volunteered for the job. Mian Channu was a Christian village of about 600 families and the school was built for their children.
Nicholas also considered former President
Zia ul-Haq
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (12 August 192417 August 1988) was a Pakistani military officer and statesman who served as the sixth president of Pakistan from 1978 until his death in an airplane crash in 1988. He also served as the second chief of ...
to be a close friend.
He also attended
Fordham University
Fordham University is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in New York City, United States. Established in 1841, it is named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx in which its origina ...
in New York City, where he earned a master's degree in counseling.Washington Times March 19, 2004 /ref>
In 1979, he left Pakistan to return to his native Sri Lanka.
The President of Pakistan conferred the civil award of Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Pakistan) on Bro. Emmanuel in recognition of his outstanding and meritorious services for the education sector in Pakistan. He received the award at the High Commission of Pakistan,
Colombo
Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...
, on 23 March 2012.
Back in Sri Lanka, he is working to improve the quality of life in a shantytown on the outskirts of
Colombo
Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...
, particularly to reduce maternal and infant deaths. The De La Salle Brothers care for 450 children from ages 3 to 5 in preschool programs, 135 young women in training for jobs like sewing and catering, and 175 young men learning trades like agriculture and auto mechanics. Raising funds to carry out these programs is not easy. They get little financial help from the government, but people in business and international foundations do support . He needs $8,000 each month to continue his work.